Signal flare



April 3, 195i 1. A. GEARN ETAL SIGNAL FLARE Filed Nov. 16, 1948 IN V ENT0125 gea/afa figer/26595'.

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES TENT' .SIGNAL FLARE K John A. Gearonand Edward Gearon, Chicago, Ill. Application November 16, 1948, Serial No. y60,232

type used by trainx'nen to warn succeeding traic of an emergency or thenecessity for a stop. Flares are carried as equipment on all trains and,when it is necessary, vthe trainman'of the leading train lights andthrows a ila-re some .distance behind his train to serve as a signal forthe. succeeding train. A are of the type under consideration is known asa fusee and has aj tip like that of a safety match. The fusee carriesacap which is removable and reversible for application to the said tip,the cap having an abrasive substance suitable for lighting the tip whenrubbed across the same.

Commonly, the intent is tothrow the are on` the same track or closealongside. However, the are often hits a rail or tie and bounces oir toan adjoining or more distant track, Where its presence may cause thestoppage of the wrong train, while failing to serve as a signal for theproper train. Another circumstance is that the flare f may land on itstip with suii'icient force to extinguish its ame. In both cases thesignal fails, and an accident may occur.

In view of the above situation, it is one object.. v of the presentinvention toprovide an improved flare which contains means forballasting or settling `it where it may'land in-a4 position moreor lessfree insofar as its `burningis concerned.

A further object is to employ a material for weighting the flare whichdoes not have a rebounding or bouncing tendency, whereby to permit theflare to remain where it hits or lands.

Another object is to provide a fiare which contains means to form aspreading base when it hits or lands on an object or the surface of theground, whereby to improve its stability and operative position.

An additional object is to include means in the novel are to space itsburning tip from the object or ground surface where it may land, so thatthe tendency for its flame to become extinguished is greatly reduced oreliminated.

An important object is to design the novel are with few parts and alonglines of simplicity, in order thatitmay be economically produced andhandled withv ease.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggestthemselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of theinvention may be had by reference to the accom- VJanying drawing, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of' the are before it s prepared foruse;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view;

across the same.

s claims. (c1. 1oz-37.4)

I Fig. 3 isa side view of the flare in the form of use;

Fig. 4 is atop plan view; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 ofli'ig.` showing the fiar position. In accordance with the foregoing,specific reference 'to the drawing' indicates the lbasic feature of theareto'be a fusee I0,'the ring tip .of the same being shown at II. vThe'cap I2 is shown mounted on the fusee, the .outer endof. the cap havinganY abrasive coating I3 suitable to light the tip II when theA cap isinverted andrubbed A tape I4 projects from the cap I2 for facility inpulling the same off the fusee.

For the purpose of .the vpresent invention fthe in the settled andoperativ '4 fusee II) is designed to be packed in a bag 20 of paper yorlike material,

Fig. 2 showing that the fusee is positioned in one side of the bag whichy of the bag sjthen filled with 2 I, or with any 'other material forms apocket for the fusee.` v.The lower portion sand as shown at which is ofaflowing.V nature and heavy weight.

`The bagV is. formed around its mouth with a stiff band of pasteboard orlike material. in a "manner to reinforce the mouth of the bag. The

of a band 26 of bag also has a bottom reinforcement in thfevform amaterial similar to thatfof the bag is further. formed in its, front andrear'walls with two rows of perforatior'is "21, these being circular orelongated, as shown. The perforated areas of the bag are covered withvertical strips 28 of thin paper orrlike material.

The bag 20 carries a gummed tape 30 at the side opposite from the one inwhich the fusee I0 is contained, as shown in Fig. 1. To prepare theflare in readiness for use itis rolled from the side in which the fuseeis contained to become Wrapped around itself, after which the tape 30 ismoistened and tightly coiled around the pack` age to bind it in thecenter.

The flare now appears as in Figs. 3 and 4, and it will hold its verticalposition when stored because i of its bottom weight; and its sandfilling will not spill because of the tight central binding Vof the bag.When the flare is to be used, the trainman simply reaches into its opentop, pulls on the tape I4 to remove the fusee cap I2, lights the fuseein the usual manner and throws the flare in the desired direction. Itfollows that the nare will most likely land on its weight/ed end orbottom; or, should it land on a slant, the yielding of its sand contentwil adapt it to the surface where it lands in order to keep it in place.In either case, the soft filling of the flare will prevent it from aforcible impact, the expansive burning tip of its fuse amply spaced toenable itA to continue burning, so that the top portion of the bag mayalso become lighted to improve the visibility of the fusee. Since theflare lands with tendency of its filling acts to'burstthlefpaper stripsor patches 28 which cover-the perfor-rations 2?! `n thewallsvof theflare. The result is the seepage or outward flow of the sand from theflare in the manner indicated in Fig. 5, this action forming a widenedbase for the flare and helping' it to settle orfbecome anchored to thespot whereLitgliaslarlded While the novel flare maybelept orstored-glpright in a box or other handyplace,fit--maybe Vdesirable tohave it hung in a suitable placegnqthe crossbar of a railway car. Forthis purpose it is releable S9 the ,bettem ef the fiere eeX- ytendedvwith va Vlaminated pasteboard rhook 3J which may beusestelleflgflhe-1lerees ,stated @be Seme is inverted. ,Sinee the' flaeeis tightly bound @et ,the 9eme-1;

sand from the same whenjhung Iup maypeon- Y.the flare threwn v nd Y.

.iexirls'l l iron; bouneingler lamine eff the ,amper meek, meanseilltein its .Dame ine .c ion, ,Ineens te flare te the .spot Whereglands, A:enel

getlea ellefthese teem s. mb; e tonreeuee ,flare .Whlh .lS lllhly eflie,reliable, .eeeneml elteproeuee least'191121.12eleerbee the inventionelmeg 'n.Qr lehelleesler refinesle therein Witheet @exerting inem itsprlrlemle, .elle ,we..reserve.tl1erlg,ht t0 emlller all S11 hrrellelllees reeements es may `9eme Within .the seeleeendsnritefrtheepneneed relatively ,wide

p., ssible seepage of 4 f f in which the fusee is secured in upstandingposition, the sides of the bag adapted to be gathered in the middleregion, a loose material contained in the lower portion of the bag, andmeans to fasten the gathered portion of the bag and confine the materialin said lower portion.

2. The structure of claim 1, the fusee being positioned along one sideof the bag.

3. The structure of claim 1, and means breakable by the-strikingimpactofthe ilare to allow ythe-.escapaofthematerialand the settlingthereof around the ilare to stabilize the same.

4. The structure of claim l, and means break- ,ablueby the strikingimpact of the ilare to allow 'the escape of the material and thesettling there- .pj fel-round the @wie to stabilize the same, said loweruportion having perforations, and said breakable means comprisingpatches of relatively fllillgmterial secured to said portion over saidperforations.

l5. The: structure .ef elalm L and means .breakable 'by `the striking:impact of the nare .to allow the escape Qnthe :material andthe,settlinethereef .around the flare vto .st bilize `'ehe seme, said4Levi/.er Dertien ,having vertical .rows 0f .perfora- .tens .,andlsed,breakable means `eelrnpris,,ing vertifteal .strips .Qf arelatvely `thinmaterial secured to lseid-llereeln,eversalc'l nerorations.

. The ,structure pf :claim l, ,andrneansbreak- 3o veeleer-the strikingmpaetef the flare :to allow the escape .ef the mater' 5.1 and ,settlingthereef VZe the same, the .fusee v.erewfjld ,the 4Aare to .stale ,beingposlptlonedat Qneside ,0f the bag andsaid lower portion havingperforatiOnS ,remote from Seid .Side and Seid 4ler-.eakalol,e ,means,eemprlsing retenes .of relatively ,thin material secured .to QSeidportionlovervsedperferations.

.JOHN A .GEARON nEFEENeEs CITED UNlTED STATES PATENTS

